Hansen: One Year In Office

7 February 2003 09:10am

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Steve Hansen celebrates one year in office as the Wales National Coach on Friday, 7 February. Ahead of him is the busiest year of international rugby Wales has ever known, with the RBS Six Nations Championship kicking-off next week and the Rugby World Cup set to open in Australia in October.
'The time has flown by and my only focus at present is on preparing the team to play in the Six Nations and trying to get Wales off to a winning start in the championship for the first time since 1997,' said Hansen.
'This is going to be an incredibly exciting and demanding year for the Welsh Squad and the National Team Management have been trying to put in place systems that enable the players to perform to the best of their ability.
'We have also been working hard on changing attitudes throughout the Welsh rugby scene. This hasn't been easy and the recent difficulties we have experienced in the release of squad players for training has highlighted some of our on-going problems in marrying up fixture and training scheduling. Because of these problems we have had a club v country scenario which nobody wants and which has to be resolved through better planning.
'This Six Nations Championship is going to be like no other before it because of the condensing of the fixtures. With five matches to play in a seven week period it is going to be hugely demanding on the players both mentally and physically.
'That is why when we sat down with the club coaches and Union administrators way back in September we made our wishes crystal clear for the two week build up period to our opening game in Italy. It is not just about having time to prepare for one match in Rome, but clearing space to prepare the players for two championship matches in the space of eight days.
'I'm pleased to say that after further consultation with the club coaches this week our message appears to have been received and understood - the national cause is now getting close to the top of people's agendas.
'I know what it is like as a club coach to lose players to a national squad. We used to lose up to 14 players from the Canterbury NPC squad to the All Blacks.
'That was just the way it was and we had to get on with it. What that did was provide opportunities for other players and it was my duty as the coach to make them make the most of the chance.
'The time has come for the real leaders in rugby - coaches, administrators and even some players - to start taking the lead for the greater good of Welsh Rugby.
'There has to be compromise along the way and I would like to thank the coaches for their assistance and backing, particularly from those teams who have so many players in our squad.
'I had an excellent face-to-face meeting with the Llanelli coach Gareth Jenkins this week and we have ironed out any difficulties that may have appeared. Llanelli will have a strong team to take with them to Pontypool to play in the Principality Cup at the weekend, and we will have a full squad of players to work with.
'Llanelli have been given dispensation to use permit and loan players to complete their replacements bench and Pontypool have also been excellent in giving their blessing. This is exactly the kind of compromise and understanding we need in difficult circumstances to move the game forward in Wales.
'More than anything else, the problem of player release needs to be addressed at the start of the season when the fixtures are being planned. The right people need to be in a position to make the right decisions for the good of every section of the game.
'I'm grateful to Llanelli, Cardiff, Swansea, Bridgend, Pontypridd and Neath and, in fact all the clubs, for their co-operation not only this week, but throughout the year.
'I feel the National Team Management is probably closer than ever before in its relationship with the Clubs and coaches even in these difficult times.'

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